Gale Warning 121, NWS Fairbanks, AK

NORTHERN ALASKA FORECAST DISCUSSION
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FAIRBANKS AK
422 AM AST MON DEC 19 2005

.DISCUSSION...

ALOFT...HIGH PRESSURE RIDGING FROM SOUTHEAST TO NORTHWEST
ACROSS THE STATE AT 500 MB WITH GENERAL LOW PRESSURE ALONG THE
ARCTIC COAST AND CLOSED LOW SOUTH OF THE ALEUTIAN ISLANDS. A
SERIES OF SHORT WAVES ARE FORECAST TO MOVE NORTHWEST OUT OF THE
GULF OF ALASKA AND INTO THE BERING SEA ALONG THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE
RIDGE. THROUGH MID WEEK MODELS TREND TO LOWER HEIGHTS AS THE SHORT
WAVES WHITTLE AWAY AND START TO BREAK DOWN THE RIDGE.

SURFACE...HIGH PRESSURE IS THE DOMINATE FEATURE OVER THE CHUKCHI
SEA AND YUKON TERRITORY WITH LOW PRESSURE ALONG THE ARCTIC COAST
AND GENERAL TROUGH OVER THE INTERIOR. ANOTHER AREA OF LOW PRESSURE
IS LOCATED SOUTH OF THE ALEUTIAN CHAIN.

WEST COAST...SHORT WAVES MOVING OUT OF THE GULF OF ALASKA AND INTO THE
BERING WILL CONTINUE TO TIGHTEN THE SURFACE PRESSURE GRADIENT
ACROSS THE BERING SEA. WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE TO INCREASE
TODAY WITH SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW. THE AREA OF SNOW SHOULD BE
CONFINED WEST OF A LINE FROM ST. MARYS TO NOME WITH WINTER STORM
WARNING OVER ST. LAWRENCE ISLAND THROUGH WEDNESDAY AND GALES IN
MARINE ZONE 210.

NORTH SLOPE...LINGERING AREA OF LOW PRESSURE WILL KEEP THE ARCTIC
COAST MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH AREAS OF FLURRIES TODAY WITH CLOUDY
CONDITIONS PREVAILING OVER THE NORTHERN SLOPES OF THE BROOKS RANGE.
BY MID WEEK MODELS BUILD HIGH PRESSURE INTO THE AREA RESULTING IN
DECREASING CLOUDS. WINDS WILL BE ON THE INCREASE OVER THE EXTREME
WESTERN PORITION OF THE FORECAST AREA AS TIGHT PRESSURE GRADIENT
CURRENTLY OVER THE BERING PUSHES NORTH INTO THE CHUKCHI SEA. THE
COLDEST TEMPERATURES WILL REMAIN NORTH OF THE BROOKS RANGE THROUGH
MID WEEK.

INTERIOR...NOT MUCH TO TALK ABOUT. VERY SHALLOW SURFACE
INVERSIONS WILL KEEP TEMPERATURES IN VALLEYS MUCH COLDER THAN
AREAS IN THE HILLS WITH HIT AND MISS AREAS OF DENSE FOG IN THE
VALLEYS. FAIRBANKS SOUNDING SUPPORTS NEARLY A 40 DEGREE INVERSION
FROM THE SURFACE TO 2000 FEET. BY MID WEEK SOME COLDER AIR IS
EXPECTED SPREAD ACROSS THE INTERIOR AS NORTHEASTERLY FLOW DEVELOPS
IN RESPONSE TO BUILDING HIGH PRESSURE ALONG THE ARCTIC COAST AND
DEVELOPING LOW IN THE GULF OF ALASKA.

&&

.AFG WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
DENSE FOG ADVISORY FOR AKZ222.

WINTER STORM WARNING FOR AKZ213.

GALE WARNING FOR PKZ210.

BRISK WIND ADVISORY FOR PKZ220-PKZ225.
&&

DEC 05